ISRO Launches Heaviest Payload in Historic Mission

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its heaviest payload to date, deploying a massive US-based communication satellite into Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The mission marks a significant milestone for India’s space sector, demonstrating the enhanced lifting capability of its premier launch vehicle and strengthening its position in the global commercial satellite market.

Successful Deployment of BlueBird Block-2

On [December 24, 2025], ISRO’s heavy-lift rocket, the LVM3-M6, lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. The rocket carried the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite, weighing approximately 6,100 kg. This payload surpasses the weight of any previous satellite launched by an Indian vehicle from Indian soil.

The satellite, developed by the US-based company AST SpaceMobile, was injected into a precise orbit at an altitude of approximately 518 km. The mission was executed under a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), ISRO's commercial arm. The successful deployment was confirmed by ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, who described the mission's precision as "one of the best performances among launch vehicles in the global arena" 1.

The BlueBird Block-2 satellite is designed to provide direct-to-mobile broadband connectivity, allowing standard smartphones to access cellular networks via space without specialized hardware. At 6,100 kg, it represents the largest commercial communications satellite ever deployed in Low Earth Orbit 2.

This launch highlights the growing reliability of the LVM3 rocket, often nicknamed "Bahubali" for its strength. The vehicle has now completed multiple successful missions, including the launches of the Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission and the OneWeb satellite constellations. By launching a payload heavier than 6 tonnes, ISRO has proven it can compete with other major global launch providers for heavy commercial payloads in LEO 3.

Breaking Previous Records

Prior to this mission, the heaviest payload launched by the LVM3 was the OneWeb constellation batch, which weighed approximately 5,800 kg. The BlueBird Block-2 mission pushes this limit further, showcasing the rocket's capacity to handle heavier single-satellite payloads.

While India has previously owned heavier satellites, such as the 5,854 kg GSAT-11, those were launched by foreign rockets like the Ariane 5 due to capacity limitations at the time. The ability to launch 6,000+ kg payloads indigenously marks a critical advancement in India's self-reliance capabilities for Low Earth Orbit missions 4.

The success of the LVM3-M6 mission serves as a confidence booster for ISRO’s upcoming ambitious projects, including the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. The precise orbital injection and the robust performance of the cryogenic stage demonstrate the maturity of the launch vehicle, which is being human-rated for future crewed missions 1.

For a visual recap of this historic launch, you can watch the lift-off here: ISRO LVM3-M6 BlueBird Launch.